The Toronto Raptors showed the Utah Jazz they are for real on Wednesday night. Toronto beat the Utah Jazz, 123-104, dropping Utah to 5-14 on the season, while Toronto bolstered their record to 15-4, the best in the Eastern Conference.
The Jazz got off to a decent start, led by Enes Kanter, who ended the first quarter with 11 points, but the Jazz still trailed by seven, after the Jazz had it down to two points with less than two minutes to go in the first quarter. Kanter ended the half with 15 points, but again, Toronto continued to pull away and led at the half by sixteen points, 69-53. Hard to compete, when the Jazz’ defense was allowing the Raptors to shoot 63.6% from the field and 72.7% from the three point line.
The second half seemed like it was going to be a different story for the Jazz. After starting the third quarter on a 9-2 run, to cut the lead to nine, at 71-62, things looked to be changing for the Jazz, but then Kyle Lowry, who like Kanter, had 15 first half points, added a three point play to mix. Then Terrance Ross hit a three pointer and before you knew it the Jazz were down double digits, yet again. The Jazz couldn’t get past that nine point deficit the entire third quarter, (and second half for that matter) seemingly running out of gas, expanding most of their energy just trying to battle back. A theme all too familiar to the Jazz, as Utah experienced the same predicament versus Denver on Monday night. The Jazz outscored the Raptors in the third period, 29-28, but Utah continued to trail Toronto, 97-82.
The Jazz continued to battle, but more of the same story in the fourth quarter, as the Jazz got it to an 11 point deficit at one point, but just too much offensive firepower from Toronto. Lowry led all scorers in this game, with a career high 39 points, shooting 13-22 from the field. For the Jazz, five players were in double figures, with Kanter and Derrick Favors leading the way, scoring 19 points.
With the loss, Toronto sweeps the two game season series, after beating Utah in Canada, back in mid-November, 111-93.
Featured Image By: Edgar Zuniga Jr.
